Needle for transferring a wrapper to a cigar filler



July 28, 1964 w. THIELE 3,142,303

NEEDLE FOR TRANSFERRING A WRAPPER TO A CIGAR FILLER Filed Feb. 21 1961Fig.1

United States Patent 3,142,303 NEEDLE FOR TRANSFERRING A WRAPPER TO AQIGAR FILLER Willi Thiele, Geesthacht-Tesperhude, Germany, assignor toHauni-Werke Korber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergerlorf, Germany Filed Feb.21, 1961, Ser. No. 90,773 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 2,1960 '7 Claims. (Cl. 131-36) The invention relates to cigar manufactureand particularly is directed to improvements in a needle structure fortransferring the end of a wrapper to a cigar filler in a wrappingmachine. In order to transfer a wrapper to a previously prepared orrolled tobacco filler, a needle is pierced into the end of the wrapperadhering to a suction head, and then the needle is caused to move theend of the wrapper downwardly upon one end of the cigar filler and pressthis end of the wrapper against the filler during the first fewrevolutions of the wrapping fixture. The needle has to be very flexiblein order to follow this movement of the filler. The needles heretoforeused can only be employed when the cigar filler has rather pointed ends,because when the cigar filler has blunt ends, the flexure of the needlewould become so great that the needle would break. In addition, the stemof the needle is positioned approximately in axial alignment with theaxis of the filler when the needle takes part in the wrapping operation,so that the remote end of the needle moves in a circular path which putsadditional stress on the needle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a needle whose end remotefrom the wrapper is mounted in a shaft in such a manner that the pointedend of the needle may move in all directions and is always arranged inaxial alignment With the needle body when the pointed end of the needleis disengaged from the cigar filler. For this purpose the needle body ismounted with one end in a tubular shaft provided with a ball socket,while the end of the needle body is provided with an enlargement to forma part of a ball hearing so that the needle point is swingable in acircular path and may also be arranged in axial direction with thetubular shaft.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the needle in such amanner in the tubular shaft that the needle may be displaced axiallyagainst the action of a spring, while the ball-shaped enlargement on theneedle is so constructed that the needle is automatically caused toassume an axial alignment with the tubular shaft when the needle is notused for piercing a wrapper. If such a needle should engage with itspointed end the blunt or egg-shaped end of the cigar filler, then theneedle will be pushed into the tubular shaft against the action of thespring. When the needle after the first few revolutions is withdrawnfrom the cigar filler, it will return to its normal axial alignment withthe tubular shaft. In order that this operation of the needle can takeplace, the enlargement at the end of the needle is provided with a planesurface arranged at right angles to the axis of the needle, while withinthe tubular shaft is arranged an axially movable plunger one end face ofwhich is arranged at right angles to the axis of the plunger and isadapted to engage the plane face on the enlargement on the needle, whilethe other end of the plunger is subject to the action of an adjustablespring.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, theinvention will now be described in more detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a needle structure of the prior art;

FIG. 2 illustrates a needle structure in accordance with the presentinvention, and

3,142,303 Patented July 28, 1964 FIG. 3 illustrates in an enlargedsection the front end of the needle structure.

Referring to FIG. 1, which illustrates a needle structure employedheretofore, it will be noted that a needle support 1 has mounted thereinby means of a set screw 1a a needle stem 2. The front end of this stem 2has exchangeably mounted therein one end of a flexible needle 3. In theillustrated position the pointed end 7 of the needle 3 has pierced oneend of a wrapper 4 and presses it against the end 5 of a cigar filler.The axis of the cigar and the axis of the needle stem 2 are arranged inalignment as indicated by the dash-and-dotted line 6.

The operation of this conventional needle is as follows:

The needle support 1 is operated in such a manner that the needle 3moves toward the carrier of the wrapper until the pointed end 7 of theneedle 3 pierces the end of the wrapper 4, whereupon the needle is movedtoward the end 5 of the cigar and presses the end of the wrapper 4against this end 5 of the cigar. The cigar is now rotated about itslongitudinal axis so that the wrapper 4 is wrapped around the cigar.During the first few revolutions the shaft of the needle remains in theillustrated position and the point 7 of the needle 3 is moved in acircular path which causes a flexing of the needle at a point betweenits outer end and the end where it is attached to the shaft 2. Thisstress permits only a relatively small bending of the needle, since thematerial of the needle becomes fatigued quickly so that the needle 3 isbound to break easily.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2 and 3 which illustrate a needle structureof the invention, it will be noted that the needle support 1 hasattached thereto by means of the previously mentioned set screw 1a atubular supporting member or shaft 8. The front end position oroutermost end is rounded and has the form of a semi-spherical socket 9provided with an axial conically shaped aperture 10. This semi-sphericalsocket 9 serves as a bearing for a semi-spherical end portion orenlargement 11 provided at one end of the needle 12. The aperture 10 isof such a size that the needle 12 may be swivelled into the positionillustrated in FIG. 2, in which position the pointed end portion 18 ofthe needle 12 engages the end 5 of the cigar and no bending of theneedle 12 between its ends occurs; in other words, the needle 12 remainsabsolutely straight.

The tubular shaft 8 has slidably mounted therein suitable holding meansincluding a plunger 13 the front end portion of which is flat and formsa right angle with the axis of the plunger and is adapted to engage theflat face 17 on the adjacent portion of the semispherical enlargement11. The flat face 17 also forms a right angle with the axis of theneedle 12. The other end of the shaft 8 is closed by an adjustable screw15 between which and the adjacent end of the plunger 13 is arranged ahelical spring 14 the bias of which can be varied by an adjustment ofthe screw 15.

The operation of the needle structure of the invention is as follows:

The engagement of the wrapper 4 against the end 5 of the cigar takesplace in the same manner as described in the foregoing. However, theneedle 12 remains always straight. When the cigar rotates, the pointedend portion 18 of the needle performs the required swivellng movement.The pivot point of the needle is arranged, however, in the ball bearingformed by the semi-spherical socket 3 and the semi-spherical enlargement11 arranged at one end of the needle 12 (FIG. 3). When the needlesupport 1 is withdrawn, the compressed spring 14 pushes the plunger 13forward or toward the left until the flat end face 16 of the plunger 13engages the adjacent flat face 17 of the semi-spherical enlargement 11.The

needle 12 is now again in normal position of axial alignment with thebore in the tubular shaft 8 and another wrapping operation can beinitiated.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show portions of wrapping rollers 20 which serve toconvolute the wrapper 4 around the cigar filler 5.

What I claim is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapping machine forapplying a wrapper to a cigar filler, of a needle structure fortransferring said wrapper to said cigar filler in said wrapping machine,said needle structure comprising a tubular shaft closed at one end by anintegral wall forming a semi-spherical socket fully open towards theinterior of said shaft and a needle having a normal position in which itis axially aligned with said tubular shaft and being provided at one endwhich is positioned within the bore of said tubular shaft with asemi-spherical enlargement, means yieldably urging said semi-sphericalenlargement into engagement with said semi-spherical socket which isprovided with an aperture of larger diameter than said needle andthrough which said needle extends so that the other end of said needlecan be swivelled around said normal position.

2. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapping machine forapplying a wrapper to a cigar filler, of a needle structure fortransferring said wrapper to said cigar filler in said wrapping machine,said needle structure comprising a tubular shaft provided at one endwith a ball socket and a needle extending with one end into said tubularshaft and having a ball-shaped enlargement thereon engaging said ballsocket, a plunger slidably mounted in said tubular shaft and engagingsaid ballshaped enlargement with one of its ends, and a spring engagingthe other end of said plunger for yieldably urging said plunger intoengagement with said ball-shaped enlargement, said ball socket having anaperture through which said needle extends and which permits a swingablemovement of said needle about said filler and with respect to saidtubular shaft, said ball'shaped enlargement being provided with a fiatface extending at right angles to the axis of said needle and saidplunger having a fiat end face extending at right angles to its axis andengaging the flat face of said ball-shaped enlargement whereby saidneedle, when disengaged from said filler, will be biased into axialalignment with said tubular shaft.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapping machine forapplying a wrapper to a cigar filter, of a needle structure fortransferring said wrapper to said cigar filler in said wrapping machine,said needle structure comprising a shaft having a bore and provided atone end with a ball socket having an aperture in communication with saidbore, a needle having a pointed end portion and a second end portionwith the latter extending through said aperture and into said bore andincluding a ballshaped enlargement, said aperture being dimensioned insuch a way that said enlargement is prevented from passing therethroughand that said pointed end portion is free to swivel about the axis ofsaid bore, and holding means provided in said bore and yieldablyengaging said second end portion to bias said enlargement against saidball socket, said holding means and said enlargement having cooperatingportions which tend to urge the needle into axial alignment with saidbore from all positions of the needle.

4. A needle structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said holdingmeans comprises a plunger reciprocably received in said bore andresilient means for biasing said plunger against said enlargement, saidneedle being movable counter to the bias of said resilient means whenits axis coincides with the axis of said bore.

5. A needle structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said cooperatingportions are provided with flat faces which are in full face-to-faceabutment with each other when said needle is in axial alignment withsaid bore.

6. In a cigar machine, the combination with a cigar wrapping machine forapplying a wrapper to a cigar filler, with a needle structure fortransferring said Wrapper to said filler in said cigar wrapping machine,said needle structure comprising a supporting member having an endportion, a needle having an end portion adjacent to the end portion ofsaid supporting member, one of said end portions being of sphericalshape and the other end portion defining a socket for said one endportion so that said needle is free to swivel with respect to saidsupporting member, and yieldable holding means arranged to bias saidneedle at all times to a normal position around which the needle mayswivel by overcoming the bias of said yieldable means.

7. A needle structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein said needle isstraight and is sufficiently rigid to remain straight at the time itovercomes the bias of said holding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS535,048 Bunn et al. Mar. 5, 1895 1,297,211 Magness Mar. 11, 19191,639,441 Spahr Aug. 16, 1927 2,236,561 Roher et al. Apr. 1, 19412,304,046 Durning Dec. 1, 1942 2,860,899 Gottschald Nov. 18, 1958FOREIGN PATENTS 1,223,983 France Feb. 1, 1960 95,054 Germany Dec. 1,1897 796,706 Great Britain June 18, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES AmericanMachinist of April 10, 1947, page 139.

3. IN A CIGAR MACHINE, THE COMBINATION WITH A CIGAR WRAPPING MACHINE FOR APPLYING A WRAPPER TO A CIGAR FILTER, OF A NEEDLE STRUCTURE FOR TRANSFERRING SAID WRAPPER TO SAID CIGAR FILLER IN SAID WRAPPING MACHINE, SAID NEEDLE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SHAFT HAVING A BORE AND PROVIDED AT ONE END WITH A BALL SOCKET HAVING AN APERTURE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BORE, A NEEDLE HAVING A POINTED END PORTION AND A SECOND END PORTION WITH THE LATTER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND INTO SAID BORE AND INCLUDING A BALLSHAPED ENLARGEMENT, SAID APERTURE BEING DIMENSIONED IN SUCH A WAY THAT SAID ENLARGEMENT IS PREVENTED FROM PASSING THERETHROUGH AND THAT SAID POINTED END PORTION IS FREE TO SWIVEL ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID BORE, AND HOLDING MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID BORE AND YIELDABLY ENGAGING SAID SECOND END PORTION TO BIAS SAID ENLARGEMENT AGAINST SAID BALL SOCKET, SAID HOLDING MEANS AND SAID ENLARGEMENT HAVING COOPERATING PORTIONS WHICH TEND TO URGE THE NEEDLE INTO AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID BORE FROM ALL POSITIONS OF THE NEEDLE. 